Discover our collection of contemporary charcoal drawings for sale. Whether you are a seasoned charcoal drawing enthusiast looking to expand your collection or simply curious about the medium, we can help you find the perfect piece.
Our online galleries have been carefully curated by our team and feature a variety of styles and subject matter. Start your search by exploring our popular expressionistic charcoal drawings – a selection which showcases the raw emotion of the medium.
Alternatively, you can explore our unique collection of realistic charcoal drawings by modern artists, which combine a sensitive approach with technical skill to create accurate, refined artworks.
For studies of the human body, discover our selection of figurative charcoal drawings – sketches of people in various styles.
Famous Charcoal Artists and Their Artworks
Charcoal was first used in prehistoric cave paintings but has become a fine art medium through centuries of refinement. During the Renaissance, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo used it for preparatory sketches, recognising its ability to create dynamic contrasts and fluid lines.
In the 19th century, Post-Impressionists such as Georges Seurat found charcoal a remarkable tool for conjuring a range of texture and shadow. His shadowy studies of figures, created with dense, dark strokes, marked a shift in the use of charcoal from practical accuracy to emotional power.
In the late 1800s, Symbolist Odilon Redon recognised charcoal’s ability to create sinister otherworldly realms in his Noirs series. Exploring subconscious imagery, Redon created nightmarish drawings that were rendered real through the depth and shading provided by charcoal.
Later in modernity, charcoal was recognised for its potential for creating rich contrasts, subtle shading, and expressive line work. German Expressionist Käthe Kollwitz used intense, emotional shading to communicate raw grief and vulnerability in works like Family group (1928).
Charcoal drawings for sale on Rise Art
Our collection of contemporary charcoal drawings includes work by emerging artists such as London-based Richard Storey. Storey aims to capture the motion of the nude body through wandering lines and expressive depth. In Athletic (2020), he uses dark charcoal and white highlight to capture the movement of muscles in the body – combining rigid strength with loose delicate lines.
For a more abstract approach, French artist Etienne Eczet uses simplified line work and a smudged effect to capture the essence of the human body. The portrait Envol (2023) shows a dancer mid-spin – arching lines and sharp details capturing the taut power of the athlete and her movement.
Or explore the work of Nelson Makamo, whose portraiture gives a voice to the children of his birthplace, Limpopo, South Africa. Makamo depicts his subjects with accuracy and authenticity, caught in a moment interrupted. Hi Untitled (2022) drawing shows a young girl walking, carrying a bag and wearing headphones – giving the traditional charcoal study a contemporary twist.
Venezuelan artist Renata Fernandez creates contemporary nature drawings which incorporate mixed media elements. Her hyperrealistic images of tropical plants, such as My Social Media No 1 Consuelo’s Garden (2023), use ink and charcoal to create an atmospheric depth.
Find out more and explore charcoal drawings from emerging artists in our Guide to Drawings.
